Arthur’s Madelines Recipe

I made this recipe when my wife and I were expecting our first child (Arthur’s now 5 weeks old at time of writing this on Recipes Reimagined). I wanted a really citrusy cake recipe for people popping over for a cup of tea at short notice (which with newborns happens - a lot!). The advantage with this madeline recipe is that you can make a batch from start to eating in 30-40 mins, or if you know you have people coming over, the cake mix can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then just baked when people arrive. They’re best eaten straight out of the oven and make the house smell of cake, lemons, and oranges. Arthur, I look forward to making these for me one day.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 12 Madelines

Specialist Equipment

  • Madeline tray (about £10 on Amazon)

Ingredients

  • Orange - 1

  • Lemon - 1

  • Egg - 1

  • Caster Sugar - 50g

  • Unsalted Butter - 75g

  • Plain Flour - 50g

  • Baking Powder - 0.25 tsp

  • (Optional) Vanilla Paste - 1 tsp

Method

Madelines Step One - Citrus Sugar

Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Place the sugar in a mixing bowl and, using a fine grater, grate the zest of the lemon and orange into the bowl (try not to grate too much of the white pith under the skin as it’s bitter when cooked).

Mix the zest and sugar together.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together.

 

Madelines Step Two - Butter Wouldn’t Melt

Place the butter in a pan over a low-medium heat. Heat until only just melted then take off the heat a set aside to start to cool.

Note; this is where classical madeline recipes call for browned butter (where you keep cooking the butter until the proteins in the butter start to burn, taking on a brown colour). It gives the madelines a great hazelnutty flavour, but I’m not proposing it for this recipe as it' takes away from the citrus flavour.

 

Madelines Step THree - Coating

Using a pastry brush, brush each madeline mould with a little of the melted butter to stop the madeline’s sticking later.

Note: If you’re using a non-stick tray which is in good condition this should be enough to stop the madeline’s sticking. If you’re worried they stick then you can also dust the moulds with a little flour, tapping out the excess.

 

Madelines Step Four - Whisk & FOld

Add the egg to the bowl with the citrus sugar and whisk together on a medium speed until the mixture’s frothy (it’ll take about 4-5 mins).

Add the juice of half of the lemon and the melted butter. Whisk together for another minute.

Then fold in the flour - baking powder mixture until combined.

If you’re making the mix in advance, this is where you can pour it into a sealed container and store in the fridge for anywhere up to 24 hours before moving to step five.

If you’re making it to cook there and then, leave the mix at room temperature for 5 mins for the baking powder to generate some bubbles!

 

Madelines Step Five - It’s Pouring

Note: If you left the mix in the fridge, remove it to warm to room temperate for about 30 mins before proceeding.

Pour / spoon the mixture into the madeline moulds, so each mould is only about two-thirds filled (as they’re rise whilst baking).

Place the madelines in the oven for about 10 minutes, until just starting to brown and slightly risen.

 

Madelines Step Six - Arthur’s Madelines

Untitled--2.jpg

Once cooked, remove the madelines from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.

They’re best eaten straight away.

And that’s it, hope you enjoy!